Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-02-07
Change of School System.

The adoption by the state teachers as
ISOLATION of a resolution in favor of the
town system of schools should have con-
siderable weight with the voters. The
teachers say that under the present sYs-
TEN a large part of the money and ener"
gy devoted to education is worse than
wasted. This expression is probably too
strong, but we are convinced that school
district management is wrong and that
much of the teaching is misdirected and
Improbable.
The opposition to the town system is
probably chiefly due to its not being un-
derstood. There is a belief hat it means
the abandonment of district schools and
the establishment of large and expensive
central schools. This is a mistake. 1t
means. simply, that all the schools in the
own will be supported by the town. and
that the poor district will be furnished
with just as good schools as the rich dis
trict. They will be under one board,
which the voters of each town will elect
for their supposed financial ability and
their knowledge of what a good school is.
1t is quite likely that under the town
system or any other there will soon have
to be a consolidation of some schools in
farming neighborhoods that have become
partially depopulated. Schools of a doz-
en- pupils are not as good as those with
two dozen. Put them together and there
will be more emulation and a better
teacher can be employed. The only in
convenience worth mentioning will be the
greater distance that some or them will
nave to travel. This will in some cases
constitute an objection, but generally il
will not be serious. A boy or girl with
the right spirit will prefer To walk two
miles to a good school han one mile to a
poor one. Then, if there are good school
houses, schools can be rotated.
Under town management, no district
where misers are more numerous than
children will be deprived of a good school.
All will be treated alike. There will be
no 'back deestricks," where no man can
sell a farm because the educational ad-
vantages are not good. 1t is greatly to
the advantage of property-owners ia such
places, as well as to their children, 10
nave an equalization of the towns bene-
fit.
As for the fear that a central manage
ment will run to grades and heavily tax
the people for the support of higher edu-
cation, we believe it to be unfounded.
The voters can control that. Even i'm
the large towns where graded schools are
now maintained, there is a growing feel
ing against supporting at the public ex-
pense some of the departments where
only academical branches are taught.
Let those who oppose the present curri-
culum have the aid of voters In the sur
rounding districts, all assembled In town
meeting, and they can surely control the
expenditure and the system OF instruction
in every town in the state.
1t is quite possible that in some towns
it might be the general wish TO prepare
at the public expense all the young men
and young women who wish TO go there.
But we apprehend that such towns are
few, and that the great majority would
prefer to give all their children a first
class common school education, even
raising the present legal standard some
what if thought best, thus qualifying
them all for good citizenship, and If any
then wish TO prepare for college, or for
the learned professions, of for technical
and scientific pursuits, let them 10 it at
their own expense, as all our most sue
cessful men and women have one In
former generations
1t is upon lines like these, in our hum
BILE judgment, that our chool system
must be revised to become efficient and
economical. 1t will be two years before
there can be legislation, but AT the com
ing town meetings the people can take
the first great step.-Rutland Herald.